Sabir Sami promoted to KFC CEO

Yum! Brands is promoting Sabir Sami to CEO of the KFC division, effective January 1, 2022.

Sabir Sami (Courtesy of Yum! Brands)
Sabir Sami (Courtesy of Yum! Brands)

Yum! Brands is promoting Sabir Sami to CEO of the KFC division, effective January 1, 2022.

Sami currently serves as chief operating officer for the KFC division and the managing director of KFC Asia. He will succeed Tony Lowings, who is stepping down as CEO at the end of 2021 in advance of his retirement in 2022. Lowings has been with Yum! Brands for more than 27 years, having been CEO of KFC since 2019.

In this role, Sami will assume global responsibility for driving the brand strategy and performance of KFC. He will report to Yum! Brands CEO David Gibbs.

“Sabir is an exceptional leader with deep expertise and knowledge of our business and has a strong, proven track record of growing KFC’s physical and brand presence in markets around the world,” said Gibbs. “As a highly-respected strategic brand builder, operations expert and heart-led leader, Sabir is a natural choice to continue successfully executing KFC’s long-term global growth strategies in close partnership with our franchisees and further elevate KFC as a relevant, easy and distinctive (R.E.D.) brand.”

In addition to overseeing operational strategy for all KFC markets, Sami dually serves as managing director of KFC Asia, a high-growth region for the brand representing 17 markets, excluding China, and comprising more than 15 percent of all KFC Division restaurants. Prior to this, Sami was managing director for the Middle East, North Africa, Pakistan and Turkey markets, where he was instrumental in growing the business and establishing KFC as one of the region’s most R.E.D. brands. Sami also served as General Manager for the KFC Canada and Turkey businesses. Prior to Yum!, Sami served in various leadership roles at Procter & Gamble, the Coca-Cola Company and Reckitt Benckiser.

“I’m incredibly privileged and excited to continue working with our talented and dedicated KFC leaders and amazing franchise partners around the world to keep strengthening and accelerating the development of our powerful, iconic brand,” said Sami. “KFC is uniquely positioned around the world as a well-loved, well-trusted brand with millions of fans – the future is certainly bright.”

Dyke Shipp named KFC division president

Dyke Shipp, 55, who currently serves as KFC Division chief development officer and chief people officer, is being promoted to KFC Division president, reporting to Sami, effective January 1, 2022. Shipp brings over 30 years of experience with the company and expertise successfully leading KFC’s development and people and culture strategies. In this role, Shipp will partner with Sami on KFC’s global people and growth agenda and support the general managers of its businesses in the Americas, including Canada, the U.S. and Latin America and the Caribbean.

“Dyke brings a wealth of knowledge, expertise and strategic acumen to this role, along with a commitment to nurturing an inclusive, high-performing culture,” said Sami. “Dyke is a seasoned leader with a strong track record of delivering impactful results. I look forward to partnering with Dyke as we work toward the next chapter of growth for KFC.”

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